(January 26, 2010) Toyota remains the world’s largest automaker, according to sales data released Monday in Tokyo. Vehicle sales for Toyota and its affiliated brands, including Lexus, Daihatsu and Hino, totaled 7.81 million vehicles worldwide for calendar year 2009, compared with 8.97 million vehicles a year earlier.

Overall, sales declined by 13 percent compared to 2008, particularly in the United States and Japan, Toyota’s two biggest markets. Sales increased in China, which passed the U.S. as the world’s largest auto market last year.

Even with the decrease in sales, Toyota handily beat Volkswagen, Europe’s largest automaker, which set a record for sales at 6.29 million vehicles worldwide, a slight increase from 2008.

Toyota surpassed General Motors as the world’s largest automaker in 2008, ending GM’s 77-year record on top of the global sales charts.

GM is expected to remain number two when final global numbers are available.

In the U.S., GM continues to lead Toyota whose sales dropped 20 percent to 1.8 million units, while GM off 30 percent came in at 2.1 million units.